Mattress ventilator



1940- i c. A. LIGHT 2,224,637

MATTRES S VENTILATOR Filed May 8, 1940 INVENTOR CHARLES A. LIGHT ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATS PATENT orsie 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to mattress ven- --'lating devices, and more particularly to a mattress of the type provided with an inner spring carcass covered on both faces with layers of padding and other material and having a preformed boxing, or border, which has the free ends thereof secured together by a device simul taneously functioning as a ventilator for the inner springs.

The customary construction of the inner spring type of mattress has utilized ventilator openings, usually closed by perforated discs, at spaced intervals along the boxing. In such mattresses the free vertical ends of the boxing have been stitched together, and the peripheral upper and lower edges of the boxing have been secured to the corresponding edges of both faces of the mattress. In that type of mattress it is necessary to prepare the boxing prior to attachment to the mattress. The ventilator openings must be specially provided in the boxing, and perforated discs must then be fitted thereto. This requires extra steps in the mattress fabrication, as well as aum'liary equipment.

One of the main objects of my present invention is to provide a method of, and means for, fabricating an inner spring mattress so that solely a single operation is necessary to provide ventilator openings for the mattress interior, as well as to secure together the free ends of the boxing.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a fabric strip having a plurality of spaced ventilator openings therein, and said strip being designed in such a manner that its edges adjacent the openings are readily secured to corresponding free edges of the mattress boxing.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a ventilator device for the interior of an inner spring mattress, the ventilator device consisting of a narrow fabric strip of a length substantially equal to the depth of the boxing, and the strip being provided with a plurality of centrally-arranged spaced eyelets which permit ready circulation of air through the mattress interior.

Still other objects of my invention are to improve generally the simplicity and economy of mattress construction, and more especially to provide an inner spring mattress whose interior ventilation is reliable and efficient, and yet furnished with minimum of steps and elements.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth in particularity in the appended claims; the invention itself, however, as to both its organization and method of operation will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the drawing in which I have indicated diagrammatically one construction whereby my invention may be carried into effect.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows, in perspective, a substantial portion of an inner spring mattress embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, in perspective, of the ventilator strip constructed in accordance with the invention; and I Fig. 3 isa sectional view, taken along line 33 'of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the manner of securing the ventilator strip vertical edges to the boxing.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals in the diiierent figures designate similar constructional elements, in Fig. 1 is shown a conventional and well known type of inner spring mattress. As is very well known to those skilled in this art, the opposite faces I of the mattress each consist of padding material enclosed between opposedlayers of fabric. The exposed fabric of the faces is the ticking. Between the faces of the mattress is, of course, located the spring carcase. The latter is composed of a plurality of spaced coil springs coupled together by wiring and framework. The numeral 2 denotes the preformed border, or boxing, secured around the edges of the mattress by being attached to the top and bottom faces I. numerals 33' denote the tape commonly employed to bind the boxing edges to the edges of the upper and lower faces. As shown in Fig. 3, the boxing 2 consists, also, of padding 2' enclosed between outer ticking 4 and the inner thinner cotton backing 5.

In the past it has been customary to stitch together the free vertical ends 6-6 of the preformed boxing. Ventilation has been provided, in that case, for the interior of the mattress by providing spaced ventilation openings around the periphery of the boxing. This required special stamping of the boxing padding and covering fabrics around the four edges thereof. Further, it was necessary thus to prepare the boxing prior to attachment to the faces of the mattress. Where perforated discs are used to cover the rather large ventilation openings, a usual practice, it is necessary to secure such discs to the boxing. The present invention eliminates the need for such special processing of the boxing.

According to my invention, the ventilation for The the inner springs of the mattress is provided by a strip [0, shown in Fig. 2, having centrally arranged thereof a plurality of spaced, aligned openings ll. Preferably the openings II are provided with metallic eyelets I2 which may be secured to the openings II in any well known fashion. Of course, the openings H may have any configuration, and any other type of reinforcement may be used.

The strip [0, while shown as a long,v narrow strip of rectangular shape, may assume other shapes. Further, the openings ll may be arranged on the strip in any different manner. Preferably, strip I0 is made of fabric, and will be thicker than the outer ticking 4 so that it will be sufiiciently strong to act as the binding seam for the adjoining free ends 6-45 of the boxing. Of course, other materials may be used in place of fabric for strip I0. For example, leather, rubber and the like could be used since these are sufficiently flexible and strong for the purpose desired. The strip [0 is attached to the free ends of the boxing, as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably the long edges of the strip are secured to the corresponding free ends of the boxing.

As shown in Fig. 3, there may be employed stitching through each free end 6-6 and its respective strip edge. The spacing existing between ends 6 and 6', after stitching thereof to will be provided in strip It! as is required properly to ventilate the mattress interior.

The strip It) may be secured along its edges to the spaced boxing ends in any manner other than by stitching. Further, the exposed face of the strip may be provided with a design pattern which is harmonious with the design pattern of fabric 4. The pattern in the strip It] may, of course, be part of the weave, or it may be printed thereon. If desired, a second ventilator strip may be secured between spaced ends of the boxing at any other part of the latter. For example, the second strip could be arranged on the opposite boxing edge. The strip l0 could be supplied to the mattress manufacturer in a continuous roll of strip material provided with the spaced eyelets. The manufacturer would in that case cut oil? the length of strip required for his needs. It will now be seen that my invention provides a single strip which performs the double function of joining together spaced ends of boxing and providing the ventilation for the mattress interior. When the mattress is fabricated, it is only necessary to secure strip II) to the free ends of the preformed boxing prior to attaching the upper and lower faces I to the boxing. When the latter is done, the ventilating elements for the mattress interior are already provided. Actual tests show that a ventilating strip in accordance with my invention provides adequate interior air circulation in a standard type of mattress.

While I have indicated and described a construction for carrying my invention into effect, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that my invention is by no means limited to the particular construction shown and described, but that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mattress of the inner spring type provided with -opposed padded faces and a preformed padded boxing; the improvement which comprises a strip extending between said faces, the vertical edges of the strip being secured to respective spaced ends of the boxing, and a plurality of spaced air passages provided solely through said strip.

2. In a mattress of the inner spring type provided with opposed padded faces and a preformed padded boxing; the improvement which comprises solely a single strip extending between said faces, the vertical edges of the strip being secured to respective spaced ends of the boxing, and a plurality of spaced air passages provided solely through said strip, said air passages consisting of eyelets spaced in equidistant relation.

CHARLES A. LIGHT. 

